TED Towle couldn't believe his ears and beamed with delight as Hilda Clark finally agreed to be his wife - after 49 years.

The 83-year-old had proposed hundreds of times and was crushed when Hilda, 73, turned each one down.

But six months ago, SHE proposed - and the pair finally married on Saturday to cheers from their delighted family, including nine children, 22 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

Delighted Hilda says: "Ours must be one of the longest courtships ever. But now I'm so happy I wonder why I waited so long to marry. I'm so proud to call Ted my husband after all this time."

Ted added: "When Hilda said, 'I do', I said 'about time'. Hilda won't be rushed into anything, but I'm thrilled that she's finally made an honest man of me."

The couple, from Nottingham, realised soon after they met in 1958 they had found their partner for life.

But feisty Hilda constantly turned down Ted's proposals.

She explained: "I had always been sceptical of marriage after getting wed when I was very young. One divorce is enough for anyone. I thought, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'."

Hilda was a single mum living with her two children Richard, now 54, and Paul, 50, when she first met Ted - and immediately had a row. Ted, who still works as a part-time cleaner, recalled: "I was sitting outside Hilda's house waiting to pick up a friend and left my engine running.

"Hilda stormed out and told me to turn my engine off and come in for a cup of tea, or leave.

"She had such a stern look on her face I was scared, but I followed her in. We enjoyed each other's company so much that in a few months we were a couple."

Ted had four children Teddy, now 59, Alan, 57, David, 55, and Rosie, 53 from his marriage to first wife Edie, who had died after a stroke during childbirth.

He first plucked up the courage to ask for Hilda's hand after two years. "Hilda looked horrified when I asked," he said. "Over the years I asked again and again, hoping one day she'd say yes."

The couple had three children together, Lorraine, now 47, Kaye, 42, and James, 36.

Ted finally stopped proposing but last November everything changed for Hilda when grandson Paul fell seriously ill. Hilda says: "That terrible ordeal with Paul put everything into perspective and I realised Ted and I had to get married. Suddenly, everything became clear and I knew exactly what to do." Hilda went straight home and warned Ted not to laugh as she dropped down on one creaky knee and popped the question. For a moment Ted was lost for words and assumed she was playing a practical joke. "I was flabbergasted. Once I realised Hilda was serious I burst out laughing. I whooped an excited 'yes'. I would've whipped her up in my arms and swung her round if I was 20 years younger." They told their family after Paul recovered.

After the wedding at the West Bridgford Register Office the couple are packing for a honeymoon in Majorca.

Hilda said: "I giggle like a schoolgirl every time I say my new name, Mrs Towle. Now I know what wedded bliss actually means I couldn't be more in love. Ted is the jewel in my crown." Ted added: "It's been a long time coming, but now I can call my girl my wife, it's been worth the wait. Hilda means everything to me, and always will."